


The Natural History Museum

by missdibley



Series: 38 Lifetimes [2]
Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: 38 lifetimes, 38 lifetimes fic, AU, Drabble, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, kid!tom, red nose day tom - Freeform, red nose day tom hiddleston - Freeform, rnd!tom - Freeform, rnd!tom hiddleston - Freeform, the red nose diaries, toddler!tom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 14:53:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17347247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdibley/pseuds/missdibley
Summary: In this second of thirty eight AU's Red Nose Day Tom Hiddleston and OFC Carmen DiGregorio... they meet as little children on a playdate. Fluff ensues.





	The Natural History Museum

Saturday was wet and grey, gloomy enough that Diana Hiddleston considered letting the children sleep in. Ply them with cocoa and biscuits, let them watch as much telly as they liked, keep them in their pyjamas and out of her husband James’s hair so that he could focus on the work he was always bringing home.

But Diana’s little girl would be having none of that. For she had been looking forward to Saturday all week. She had been _promised._ A morning visit to the [Natural History Museum](http://www.nhm.ac.uk/) with her best friend at school, a new girl with the shiniest black curls and the merriest laugh who came from a far away place called Chicago. The girls would wear matching red wellies, and they’d be so good their mothers would let them sit at their very own table for afternoon tea at [ The Muffin Man](http://www.themuffinmanteashop.co.uk/).

Yes. A tidy tea table just by the window for Sarah, her friend Enid… and Sarah’s annoying little brother, Thomas.

Only Tom at the age of three was already as tall as five year old Sarah so he wasn’t so little after all. And he was already so smart, picking out words from the books that Pa would read to them at bedtime. Saying them in funny voices that would make Pa grin and Sarah scowl.

Just the afternoon before, Sarah had pleaded with Diana for their trip to the Museum to be just the two of them, mother and daughter.

“But don’t you love your brother?” Diana had asked in a softly chiding voice. “He loves you, you know.”

“I do,” Sarah whined. “But he’s going to pester me and Enid and…”

“It’s a very large museum, darling.” Diana tapped the tip of her daughter’s nose. “I’m sure once he catches sight of the dinosaurs and the fossils and every other good little thing, even he will be distracted so that you and Enid can play.”

“Promise?” Sarah narrowed her eyes.

Diana nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

And she had. Through breakfast, then on the walk to the bus, during the bus ride and the short walk from the bus stop to the museum entrance on Cromwell Road, Diana gently but firmly reminded Tom that Enid was Sarah’s very special friend, and that he was to mind his sister and his manners while they explored the museum together.

Tom was the picture of anticipation, tugging at his mother’s hand while the three of them waited just by the cloakroom for Enid and her mother to arrive. He peeked at the packet that Sarah clutched in her tiny hands — shiny white paper folded up to contain a coil of red grosgrain, a hair ribbon for Enid to match the ribbon that Sarah wore in her hair. Just as he was about to ask if he could inspect the gift, Sarah pointed in front of her and said excitedly “There she is!”

Before she could ask, Diana nodded at Sarah, saying “Off you pop,” and so the little girl rushed forward to say hello. Diana followed a few feet after, tugging Tom along to introduce him to little Enid’s mother, a slight woman with round dark eyes that looked owlish behind pink tinted spectacles.

“Diana!” The slight woman had a surprisingly deep, rich voice for one so petite. “I hope we’re not tardy.”

“Oh, goodness no.” Diana smiled. “Right on time.” She nudged her daughter gently. “Sarah, please say hello to Mrs. DiGregorio.”

“Hello, Missus… Missus…” Sarah frowned. “Missus Enid’s mummy!”

“Sarah!” Diana tutted, while Pilar chuckled. “Forgive her, she’s just so excited for today.”

“Quite alright. Hello to you, Sarah.” Pilar’s eyes flitted down. “And who’s this handsome young man?”

“Tom?” Diana ruffled his blond curls. “Tom, say hello like we practiced, love.”

But Tom said nothing. He made no move, made no sound. How could he? Why would he, when he was in the presence of the prettiest girl he had ever seen.

Enid was five and a half, and stood just a hair taller than Tom. Her unruly black curls were held back from her face with a barrette, revealing wide dark eyes and ruddy cheeks. Her red rain boots squeaked as she fidgeted, and matched the red jumper she wore under blue denim overalls. When she smiled, her nose twitched, which made Tom want to reach out and touch it.

So he did. And when he did, Enid laughed. It was, to his three year old ears, the most beautiful sound in the world.

“TAWM!” Sarah looked appalled. “YOU TOUCHED ENID!”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” Diana exclaimed, not really knowing what she meant by that. She moved on. “Tom, say sorry.”

“Why?” Tom asked, not taking his eyes off Enid.

“You mustn’t touch people without asking,” Diana replied.

Tom blushed. He peered at the floor. When he did, he saw the red ribbon that Sarah had been holding fall at his feet. He immediately crouched down, taking one end of it before lifting it up. When he was standing again, he found Enid smiling at him still.

Sarah couldn’t help scowling. “What are you doing?” She asked Tom.

“Nuffin.’” Tom said, offering the ribbon to Enid. He grinned when she took it from him.

Pilar murmured to her daughter. “Enid, what do you say?”

Enid bit her bottom lip. She glanced at Sarah, then looked at Tom again. She smiled, wider than before.

“Thank you,” she whispered, nodding.

Tom beamed.


End file.
